Born without a howl: The Omega's Legacy

BFF Mia

I barely made it through the door before I started pacing, the walls of my small room in the Omega orphanage suddenly feeling too tight, too suffocating.

My mind raced, torn between confusion and avoidance.

Something was changing inside me—something I couldn't explain, and a part of me didn't want to.

I knew what I wanted. And it wasn’t answers—it was freedom. Escape. Getting as far away from Georgia as possible before she found some new way to ruin my existence.

A sharp knock broke through my spiraling thoughts, and before I could process it, the door slammed open.

Mia burst in like a whirlwind of chaotic energy.

“Oh my goodness! Kat!” she practically shouted, wild-eyed and breathless. “You are literally the talk of the pack right now! I swear, sometimes I feel like I miss everything since I started working at the hospital—but you?” She threw her hands up, laughter bursting out of her. “You are poison on Georgia’s tongue right now. I love it.”

I couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at my lips.

Mia was my best friend, someone I hadn’t seen nearly as much since she turned 18 and followed her passion into pack nursing. I was happy for her—truly—but goddess, I missed her.

She stood a little shorter than me, her bright red bob stylishly messy, perfectly framing her freckled face. Her glasses—sleek, modern, effortlessly chic—sat perched on her nose, adding an air of intelligence to her otherwise mischievous energy.

And, of course, her outfit matched her personality—casual but trendy. A fitted, cropped hoodie in deep emerald green, paired with high-waisted black jeans, effortlessly cool combat boots, and a delicate silver necklace with a tiny crescent moon pendant—a subtle nod to our lineage.

If werewolf pixies existed, Mia was the blueprint.

I exhaled, shaking off the lingering weight of my thoughts.

“I’m glad my suffering is bringing you entertainment,” I quipped, flopping onto my bed.

Mia rolled her eyes, plopping down next to me. “Come on, don’t pretend like you’re not thriving right now. Kat Torres, defeating Georgia Rose in combat?! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the goddess herself has a personal investment in your success.”

I paused. The moon goddess.

If only Mia knew how right she might actually be.

But I wasn’t ready to talk about that. Not yet.

Instead, I forced a laugh, nudging her lightly. “Please. I’m just doing everything I can to survive—and get the hell out of here before Georgia decides to make me her next lifelong vendetta.”

Mia sighed, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah. But just promise me one thing?”

I turned to look at her, genuine curiosity in her expression.

“When you leave—when you finally escape all of this—remember that you deserve more than just running away. You deserve to fight for something bigger.”

Her words settled somewhere deep inside me.

And for the first time, I wondered—maybe she was right.

Before Mia could keep ranting about being Georgia’s least favorite person, a sharp knock at the entrance of my room cut her off.

We both turned just as Alpha Jack stepped inside, his posture calm but purposeful.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I need you to come with me, Miss Torres,” he said, his tone formal but lacking any real edge.

Mia’s brows lifted, her lips curving into something undeniably smug.

“Ohhh,” she whispered, loud enough for me to hear but thankfully not loud enough for Alpha Jack.

I shot her a look.

She winked.

I mouthed, "Ew."

Shaking my head at Mia’s antics, I pushed myself up and followed Alpha Jack out of the room, ignoring the exaggerated kissy faces she made behind his back as we walked away.

We moved through the halls in silence for a moment before he finally spoke.

“Sorry to disturb you, Kat,” he started, voice steady, thoughtful. “I wanted to see you personally and congratulate you on your success in the warrior trials today. "I have to admit, I was surprised by the results—but I am both happy and proud.”

I blinked. Praise? From him?

“I also—” He paused, turning slightly to face me. “—owe you an apology.”

We stopped walking.

Alpha Jack’s gaze met mine, steady but weighed with something undeniable—recognition.

“Over the years, I’ve watched you fight harder than anyone, proving your place despite the odds stacked against you,” he continued, genuine in a way I wasn’t used to hearing. “I see now that there is something in you, something beyond skill, beyond determination—something untapped.”

My breath hitched slightly.

“Whether you choose to stay in this pack or leave to find your own path, know that I support that decision entirely,” he said, crossing his arms, his presence firm but open. “But if you’re willing to entertain my suspicions, I’d like you to come with me—to see Celeste.”

Celeste.

I knew enough to understand that this wasn’t a casual invitation.

This was something bigger.

And despite everything—despite the way my instincts screamed at me to stay out of politics, the history, the shadows threatening to close in around me—I knew I couldn’t ignore this.